Shareful Genes

Rosh Hashana is about mending our character, returning to our original ideal image, teshuva. But January 1's New Year's Resolutions have to do with being right here on this Earth, being fit, (which means letting just the right number of the universe's molecules be inside this skinny envelope), and apportionning time, letting our actual use of the hours match our spoken priorities. Often, we find out after the fact, what our priorities are: I discover that my dialogue with Mommy and Daddy, Susie, Janie and Randy takes priority over everything (not dialogue, my hexagolog, if you include me in the six, that jolly original six from 47 Bowman Street). And my dear, deep conversation with Adam and Yoni who are of me. Stephen Pinker notes that the prioritizing of empathy can be directly mapped onto the number of genes shared. I guess I just unintenionally illustrated that very notion, in the fact that I will drop any other activity in favour of connecting with these people who most closely share my genetic information. Shareful genes.